Your Ultimate Guide to Puppy Teething

Teething is a word that puppy owners often dread. The key is preparation! Understanding the teething period, allows you to support your canine companion through this tricky time. 

When do Puppies Teeth?

Our canine companions have teeth like our own, with two sets their entire life. Their first set of teeth starts to erupt at around 2-3 weeks, although this can vary with breed.

By the time most owners take their tiny bundle of fur home, they will have a full set of 28 puppy teeth. Pups much like us have incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. These sharp and delightful teeth will eventually be replaced by a full set of adult teeth.

This happens as their jaw grows and their milk teeth begin falling out. Puppies will typically start teething at around 12-16 weeks. So don’t be alarmed if you spot a few tiny teeth on the floor.

It’s a good time to start desensitising your pup to having their teeth and mouth touched. This will make it much easier to begin teeth cleaning later. Watch our video on how to clean your dog’s teeth.

How long do Puppies teeth for?

The initial teething stage typically lasts around 3-4 months. Most dogs gain their adult set by 8 months, which consists of 42 teeth.

After puppies gain their adult teeth, they will go through an adolescent chewing phase. This is where their new adult teeth settle into the jawbone, and they get used to their brand-new gnashers.

What can I use to soothe my puppy?

Much like babies, teething is uncomfortable and can be painful. Puppies’ mouths will be sore, and they will have the instinct to chew and relieve their discomfort.

The key to dealing with this stage is providing them with lots of things they are allowed to chew. An absolute must-have is a Great&Small Rope Toy.

Our rope range is made from 100% cotton and has a tight weave making them tougher than the rest. A rope toy can be soaked in water and frozen to provide numbing relief for pups’ mouths. The strands of cotton will also get in between puppy teeth, cleaning like a dental floss. 

The key to a less destructive puppy teething stage is to give them a variety of textures and types of chews. The Little&Lively Puppy toy collection has a huge variety of toys made with plush material, rope, thermoplastic rubber and safe silicon.

This keeps your pup’s chewing interest and away from items you don’t want to get destroyed.

Many puppies will mouth at people when they are little, this is a behaviour that is easy to correct and avoid becoming a habit. If you puppy mouths you, yelp, move your hand away and stop the play session. Puppy will soon learn that biting you isn’t fun and gets them nowhere.

Remember to always watch your pup anytime they are playing or chewing, sometimes they try to swallow things they shouldn’t.

For more puppy advice, check out our blog on Toilet Training and our top tips for Puppy Socialisation.

Want to get to grips with your pup’s diet too? Read our Guide to Puppy Nutrition.

Good luck with your puppy’s teething journey and remember to hide your shoes!